Eliud Kipchoge lights up Masai Mara race
World marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge heading out for a game drive at the Maasai Mara Game Reserve on August 8, 2020.
What you need to know:
- Kipchoge, who has a passion for environment conservation and wildlife said, “I should have been in Japan to defend my Olympic title and I was ready for it, but Covid-19 happened.”
- “It was a good run that I also wanted to use to bring hope to 47 million Kenyans. I want to tell them that we can’t go down completely and that we can still rise and go up together as a country through running,” said Kipchoge, who will be defending his London Marathon.
Eliud Kipchoge could have perhaps retained his Olympic Marathon title on Sunday, a day that could have marked the end of Tokyo Summer Games.
The marathon event where Kipchoge became the second Kenyan to win the title at 2016 Rio after the late Samuel Wanjiru in 2008 Beijing, was to be staged in Sapporo away from the harsh Tokyo conditions.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the government of Japan were forced to postpone the Summer Games to July 23 to August 8 next year owing to Covid-19 pandemic
Tourism Cabinet Secretary, Najib Balala (left) and World Marathon record holder, Eliud Kipchoge out on a morning run on August 9, 2020 at Maasai Mara Game Reserve.
However, Kipchoge, who has been named Kenya tourism ambassador, chose the day to run with Kenya's game rangers and Masai Morans at the Masai Mara Game Reserve, Narok County.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary, Najib Balala (left) and World Marathon record holder, Eliud Kipchoge out on a morning run on August 9, 2020 at Maasai Mara Game Reserve.
Kipchoge, who raced over 10km in the wild said he used the race to pay tribute to the game rangers for their efforts in safeguarding the wildlife besides their conservation efforts.
The world Marathon record holder also commended the Morans and their Masai community for being on the forefront not only to preserve their culture that has been a major world attraction, but also the wildlife and environment.
Kipchoge, who has a passion for environment conservation and wildlife said, “I should have been in Japan to defend my Olympic title and I was ready for it, but Covid-19 happened.”
“It was a good run that I also wanted to use to bring hope to 47 million Kenyans. I want to tell them that we can’t go down completely and that we can still rise and go up together as a country through running,” said Kipchoge, who will be defending his London Marathon.
